Interim management, Textile industry, Mexico

A textile giant struggles with details

Giving a corporation more agility is no walk in the park. When environmental activists are at the door, wastewater values are off and a 20 million order is at risk due to a supplier failure, troubleshooting needs diplomacy – and speed.

Client: Textile group
Industry: Textile industry
Location: Mexico
Duration: 12 months
Services: Interim management, Ramp-up management

Project brief

Starting point: Excessive production costs, missing new products, insufficient environmental protection, occupational safety issues
Methods: Value stream analyses, KAIZEN, project and change management
Stakeholders: Owner, management and workforce
Result: Production costs reduced by 5 %, 2 new developments

Measurable. Traceable.

5%
reduction in production costs: 2new developments
to market readiness in twelve months: 20M USD
order secured through supplier solution

Technical Director ad interim. Several technical departments were structurally and lean reorganised – the company still benefits today.

From the starting point to the result.

Challenge

Environmental requirements from global brands, a threatened order loss of 20 M USD due to a supplier failure, excessive production costs and no staff reserve for special tasks. Outsourcing was ruled out to protect trade secrets.

Wastewater values and customers' sustainability promises
Supplier failure for a key product
Internal political resistance in the corporation

Approach

WOLF took over as Technical Director ad interim: fast problem solving, getting parties on board, dismantling resistance diplomatically – with escalation where necessary. Value stream analyses, KAIZEN and project and change management brought SME flexibility into the corporation.

Troubleshooting with a clear escalation strategy
Value stream analyses and KAIZEN in production
Lean reorganisation of the technical departments

Result

Production costs cut by 5 %, two new developments brought to market readiness, environmental and occupational safety on track. The company still benefits from the reorganisation today.

5 % lower production costs
2 new developments
Sustainable structures in the technical departments

The path to the result.

12 months

Month 0–1
Troubleshooting
Environmental and supplier crisis stabilised.
Month 1–4
Analysis
Value stream analyses and cost structure.
Month 4–10
Reorganisation
Technical departments set up lean, new developments started.
Month 10–12
Handover
Results secured, responsibility to line management.

Month 0–1
Troubleshooting
Environmental and supplier crisis stabilised.
Month 1–4
Analysis
Value stream analyses and cost structure.
Month 4–10
Reorganisation
Technical departments set up lean, new developments started.
Month 10–12
Handover
Results secured, responsibility to line management.

“As Technical Director ad interim, various technical departments were led and reorganised structurally and lean. The company still benefits from this today. The modern leadership style was highly valued by the employees.”

Director, Textile group, Mexico

Guides

Troubleshooting in a corporation: at the speed of a mid-sized company

An environmental crisis and a threatened loss of a 20 million US dollar order at the same time. In a corporation, the fast solution is above all a question of diplomacy.

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